During the hot pot meal, Zhong'er had barely eaten anything because his heart had felt so heavy.
Now, hearing Li Qi say the war was over, hunger hit him, and he wanted to treat Li Qi to barbecue.
Many barbecue joints in Yuezhou stayed open until dawn. Zhong'er picked a place he knew well and reserved a private room. Once the food was served, he brought out a spiritual item to isolate sound.
"Director Li, thank you for saving me." The fool only now remembered to offer his thanks.
Li Qi didn't mind. "I didn't make the trip just to save you. You weren't the only one paying attention to this war."
Zhong'er gasped. "Director Li, did you come to Ruirong Textile Factory every day too?"
Li Banfeng nodded.
Zhong'er sighed. "Director Li, do you think I'm a complete idiot?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "What you did wasn't wrong. It just didn't align very well with the rules of the Outer States."
Zhong'er felt conflicted. "I really don't understand what the rules here actually are. Since we possess such overwhelming combat power, why do they still send us to fight every time a dark energy case comes up? To be honest, the Dark Star Bureau's combat capability embarrasses me. Rigid tactics, lack of practical experience, limited fighting ability... If they can handle a war in just a few minutes, why bother setting up an embarrassing agency like the Dark Star Bureau?"
Li Banfeng said, "Because different incidents require different levels of response. That is the fundamental rule of the Outer States. Dealing with a war within minutes is predicated on having accurate sources of intelligence, investing massive manpower and material resources, formulating meticulous battle plans, and preparing contingencies for unexpected events during the conflict. If a single silkworm pops up at a textile factory tomorrow and you make war preparations for it, the Outer States' economic foundation simply couldn't support such immense consumption."
Zhong'er offered a bitter smile. "Director Li, you know about the textile factory silkworm case too?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "I read the security files. That was your first case. You did quite well—much better than Lightbulb's first case."
The first case Lightbulb had taken on was tailing Li Banfeng, and all his efforts had been brought down by two spicy gluten strips.
Zhong'er lowered his head. "Looking back on it now, that case was pretty humiliating."
"It wasn't humiliating. Perhaps Chen Changrui's evaluation of you wasn't high, but for the Outer States as a whole, your handling met their standard for resolving such incidents, because you solved the problem with limited manpower and material resources."
Zhong'er shook his head. "I think our problem-solving ability isn't even as good as a drone's."
"That depends on how many drones you're talking about. Ruirong Textile Factory exhibited physical properties that shouldn't exist in the Outer States, and electromagnetic signals suffered severe interference inside. To control drones accurately under those conditions requires massive investment. To ensure the drones complete their mission, you also need a redundancy in numbers. Against an enemy, you can carry out indiscriminate strikes, but when hostages are involved, targeted rescue is required. These factors demand vastly greater investments—potentially higher by several orders of magnitude. You cannot use methods of war to handle civil security issues, nor can you use high-level methods to deal with low-level incidents. That is the rule of the Outer States."
Zhong'er was astonished. "Director Li, you're from Puluo Province and haven't been here long, yet you see through the rules so thoroughly."
Li Banfeng didn't answer. Had he lived in Yuezhou all along, even another twenty years wouldn't have let him see where the rules were heading. Only after going to Puluo Province and comparing two completely different rule systems could he perceive the contrasts between them.
Zhong'er felt a bit disheartened. "Under rules like that, it feels like I'm the problem."
Li Banfeng offered an analogy. "The Outer States is like a fortress. When fighting on home turf with ample preparation, it is nearly impregnable. But if even a single link is insufficiently prepared, the entire situation could collapse. Consequently, the Outer States excels at fighting prepared battles, but struggles with sudden emergencies. You have the ability to handle unexpected crises, and you have the ability to protect this world. That is something to be proud of."
Zhong'er smiled. "Even those foolish words I said when I first joined—Director Li knows about them too?"
Li Qi nodded. "I know. The whole bureau knows. Those weren't foolish words; they were dreams and ambition."
When they had nearly finished eating, Zhong'er recalled something. "Director Li, you said earlier that increasing the number of drones could compensate for signal transmission precision. But at Ruirong Textile Factory, gunpowder detonation was restricted as well. Was that earthquake-like explosion earlier also achieved by ramping up the quantity of gunpowder to overcome the low detonation odds?"
"Probably," Li Banfeng said, though he wasn't certain.
The explosion had been so astonishing in power and lasted so long that Li Banfeng doubted whether it had been caused by gunpowder at all.
Was the method of controlling the drones really just using sheer numbers to increase redundancy? That, too, was only Li Banfeng's deduction.
Regardless of the method, Outer States technology had broken through the restrictions at Ruirong Textile Factory. Would their next step be breaking through the restrictions in Puluo Province?
If they could bypass the limits on electromagnetism and gunpowder in Puluo Province, how could Puluo Province respond?
Zhong'er asked another question. "If the Outer States is a fortress with strong combat power but poor adaptability to sudden crises, what is the situation in Puluo Province?"
He harbored a genuine yearning for Puluo Province.
Yet the question left Li Banfeng unable to answer.
What was the situation in Puluo Province?
Puluo Province was a tray of loose sand.
When dealing with sudden crises, every single person in Puluo Province was exceptional. Hurl a handful of sand into an enemy's eyes, and they would suffer for a long time.
But what if it came down to a prepared war?
The Inner States at least had an army. What did Puluo Province have?
***
The following morning, Shen Jingye summoned Zhong'er to his office and reprimanded him severely.
Zhong'er's stakeout at Ruirong Textile Factory had been picked up by the surrounding surveillance systems, and an account had to be given. Shen Jingye used harsh words, demanding that Zhong'er write a self-criticism.
Yet in the end, Zhong'er's punishment was nothing more than writing that single letter.
The reason the punishment was so toothless came down to two factors.
First, they had won the battle.
Second, Shen Jingye was about to be promoted.
Of course, he wasn't the only one due for advancement; Director Du and a whole series of upper-echelon figures were as well.
However, there was an essential prerequisite: the war had to subside in short order.
Unlike other nations, the Inner States refused any form of communication with the Outer States. This made it difficult to obtain definitive answers regarding key postwar matters, and it was impossible to confirm whether this was truly the postwar phase at all.
If the Inner States went to war again tomorrow, the matter of promotions would have to be shelved.
"Director Li, we'll need your help on this matter. At the very least, we need a word from the Inner States. Our position is that it would be best not to continue this war."
When it came to key matters like promotion, Shen Jingye's work attitude was quite diligent.
Li Banfeng nodded. "I will go to the Inner States and ask."
Shen Jingye smiled. "Then we'll be troubling Director Li."
"Don't mention it!" Li Banfeng raised his teacup to see off the guest, but Shen Jingye showed no hurry to leave.
"Director Li, roughly when will you set out? I need to coordinate arrangements with Chief Envoy Liao."
"Set out?" Li Banfeng paused. "Go where?"
Shen Jingye pressed his lips together. "Didn't we just agree on it? You will communicate with the Inner States and determine where both sides go from here."
"And that counts as agreed?" Li Banfeng was astonished. "Yesterday you had a talk with Zhuizi and told him he had great room for advancement. Did that count as an agreement?"
Shen Jingye's cheek twitched. *How does Li Qi know everything? Who told him about my talk with Zhuizi?*
"Zhuizi's performance lately has been exceptional. In the near future, he will certainly have opportunities for advancement..."
Li Banfeng nodded. "We demonstrated immense combat power before the Inner States. I believe that in the short term, they will no longer consider using force against us."
Shen Jingye frowned. "'In the short term' is a bit too vague."
Li Banfeng chuckled. "And you think 'in the near future' is very precise?"
Shen Jingye said, "The purpose of what I told Zhuizi was to boost morale among frontline personnel."
Li Banfeng nodded. "And the purpose of what I told you was to calm your nerves before your promotion."
Shen Jingye's expression grew awkward. "That's not how it works—"
"You want to keep bullshitting, is that it?" Li Banfeng laughed. "Then let's take our time bullshitting. I'm not in any rush for a promotion."
Shen Jingye understood Li Banfeng's meaning. Talking with empty promises was, at the end of the day, just nonsense.
Pinpointing the enemy's attack location had been Li Qi's achievement.
Li Qi wasn't seeking promotion and hadn't received a single reward so far. Bringing up subsequent tasks at a time like this meant Li Qi certainly wouldn't cooperate.
"Then let's put our cards on the table." Shen Jingye ordered all surveillance and listening devices in the room powered down. "Director Li, whatever conditions you have, just say the word."
"Xiao Shen, you need to adjust your attitude. It isn't that I have conditions. Everything I do is to fulfill my duty as a balancer. Everything I invest is for the development and stability of all parties. I have shouldered a great deal in silence for the sake of my duties, but there are some things I cannot shoulder alone. The Inner States just suffered a defeat. To offset their battle losses, they are very likely to direct their spearhead toward Puluo Province. Before continuing negotiations with the Inner States, I must find a way to ensure Puluo Province's safety."
Hearing this, Shen Jingye quickly contacted Du Wenming. When it came to Puluo Province, Shen Jingye refused to meddle rashly.
Du Wenming came to the Dark Star Bureau of his own accord, his mood visibly more urgent than Shen Jingye's.
Through past interactions, Du Wenming had a rough grasp of Li Qi's habits. Rather than debating principles, he got straight down to business: "Protecting Puluo Province's security has always been our important responsibility, and it was our original purpose in establishing the Garrison Office. We can bolster the combat strength of the Garrison Offices everywhere, but that will simultaneously increase our financial strain. It isn't that we wish to extract greater profits from Puluo Province, but our revenue there must at least suffice to cover our baseline expenses. Therefore, freight rates will see a certain increase..."
Li Qi cut Du Wenming off. "Director Du, you misunderstand my meaning. I never planned to have you protect Puluo Province. I intend to protect Puluo Province myself. I need technology and strength that belong to me."
Du Wenming tried to press his line of reasoning. "Our approaches and methods may differ, but our goal is essentially the same. We both seek Puluo Province's safety. Working through the Garrison Office is the optimal solution to the current problems..."
"That is *your* optimal solution," Li Banfeng chuckled. "Having gained such a huge advantage on the battlefield, don't think about taking even more advantages in Puluo Province. Where in this world are there so many bargains waiting for you? The time has come for you to put up some capital."
With Li Banfeng speaking so bluntly, Du Wenming had no choice but to shift tactics. "Then state your specific demands."
Li Banfeng was even more direct. "To maintain peace in Puluo Province, I need combat-capable personnel. I want to borrow twenty thousand people from Santoucha to counter the Inner States."
"You mean the three-headed people?" Du Wenming's expression darkened.
"That's right. The three-headed people from Sinners' City," Li Banfeng continued. "To cover the expenses of these three-headed people, I also need greater economic support. Henceforth, businesses under my control will only pay basic freight."
The so-called basic freight was merely the transport cost; in plain terms, Li Banfeng would only pay the Garrison Office for leasing the trains.
Du Wenming's face darkened further.
Li Banfeng pressed on. "Restricted by the Boundary, my movements in Puluo Province are severely constrained, which is extremely detrimental to maintaining peace there. I need to acquire technology capable of controlling the Boundary within a designated scope."
"That is impossible!" Du Wenming rose to his feet. "Not one of the three demands you've raised is acceptable to us. We are the victors of this war! The ones who should be making demands are us!"
Li Banfeng pressed a palm downward in a calming gesture. "Xiao Du, don't be so worked up. If the war is over, everyone is a victor. If the war isn't over, it's hard to say who the victor will be."
Du Wenming stormed out of the Dark Star Bureau in fury.
Li Banfeng retrieved three silver dollars from his breast pocket and spun them twice between his fingers.
The Outer States' stance remained clear: they did not want the war to continue.
Having won, why didn't they want to fight anymore?
This was by no means cowardice; they were buying time. The rate at which the Outer States' technology was advancing struck fear into Li Banfeng.
The Outer States could not possibly agree to all three conditions. How many would they accept?
Two silver dollars remained in Li Banfeng's hand. One fell onto the desk, spinning endlessly.
***
"Guess whether this coin lands on characters or flower?"
Ma the Fifth trapped a silver dollar flat against the table, looking at Luo Lijun and Luo Yanjun.
Luo Lijun guessed characters; Luo Yanjun guessed flower.
Luo Lijun grew annoyed. "Why do you guess differently from me every single time?"
Luo Yanjun said, "Whoever guesses wrong gets punished. By guessing differently, at least one of us sisters escapes."
Luo Lijun fumed, "What's the use of one escaping? In the end, doesn't Ma Junyang get the bargain either way?"
Ma the Fifth opened his palm to reveal the answer. "It's characters. Lijun guessed right."
Luo Lijun sneered, "That's what you get for not listening to me. Lift off your shell yourself!"
Luo Yanjun smiled faintly. "I accepted the bet, so I won't welsh on it. Wu Lang, don't be in a rush to bring out your tools. I have a trick to show you."
"What trick?"
Luo Yanjun drew back into her shell and waited for about two minutes.
When she emerged, a dramatic transformation had taken place.
The corpulent physique was gone, replaced by a slender waist.
The slimy skin was gone, replaced by soft, delicate flesh.
The massive river snail shell lay cast aside, and stepping out from it was a woman of exquisite beauty.
She wore a royal-blue silk qipao that flowed like water, tailored with great precision. The collar dipped just low enough to reveal a slender, porcelain neck.
The frog buttons, embellished with dark gemstones, seemed to have been pried from the snail shell itself.
The waist tapered sharply, accentuating her graceful figure, while the hem of the qipao brushed just above her ankles, swaying with her steps to offer fleeting glimpses of her shapely legs.
Luo Yanjun walked up to Ma the Fifth and lightly caressed his cheek. "Wu Lang, do you like it?"
Luo Lijun was furious. "You wretched girl, transforming into that shape—what are you trying to do?"
Luo Yanjun gave a cold laugh. "If you're not satisfied, why don't you transform and show him?"
Luo Lijun snapped, "I don't have that skill of yours."
Ma the Fifth gazed silently at Luo Yanjun's face, gently stroking her hair.
Two strands were peculiar. Luo Yanjun tried to pull away, but Feng Daiku exposed her: "Wu Lang, those two strands of hair are her antennae. She can't disguise them properly, so she has to hide them in her hair."
Luo Yanjun felt wronged. "I might not be good at it, but my sister is capable. She can do it properly—you wouldn't be able to spot her antennae at all."
Luo Lijun grew even more incensed. "Don't talk nonsense! I don't know how to transform at all!"
"There's no need to hide your antennae. How uncomfortable that must be." Ma the Fifth teased out Luo Yanjun's antennae.
Luo Yanjun embraced Ma the Fifth. "Wu Lang, this was all for you."
"Mm," Ma the Fifth acknowledged.
"Wu Lang, as long as you like it, I'll do anything." Just as Luo Yanjun leaned in for a kiss, Ma the Fifth turned his head aside.
"What is it, Wu Lang?" Luo Yanjun asked in surprise.
Ma the Fifth hesitated for a moment. "Could you change back to your original appearance?"
"Huh?" Luo Lijun's mouth hung open, speech failing her for a long while.
Feng Daiku couldn't help laughing.
Ma the Fifth saw nothing funny about it.
If he wanted peerless beauties, who could compare to Feng Daiku?
The reason he fancied the sisters was that he liked them the way they were!
"Wu Lang, I did this all for you! How could you treat me like this?" Luo Yanjun wept uncontrollably, wishing she could crawl right back into her shell. Just then, Li Banfeng arrived.
"Li Qi, you judge for yourself! Don't I look pretty like this?" Luo Yanjun walked up to Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng looked her up and down. "Miss, who might you be?"
"I'm Luo Yanjun! I turned into this shape just for Wu Lang, and he's insisting I change back!"
Li Banfeng glanced at the river snail shell several meters away, then looked at the woman before him who bore zero resemblance to a snail. After studying her for a long time, he asked seriously, "How did you transform?"
"I can't tell you that!" Luo Yanjun wiped her tears and turned away.
Luo Lijun remarked from the side, "It's nothing more than a cheap trick of illusion."
Luo Yanjun retorted indignantly, "Mine may be a cheap trick, but my sister possesses real ability."
Li Banfeng looked toward Luo Lijun. "You can transform too?"
Luo Lijun swayed her antennae and approached Li Banfeng. "Let us set aside such trivialities for now. Young Master Li went to great lengths to save me, and I am profoundly grateful. Please accept this token of my regard."
Luo Lijun produced two pairs of covenant deeds, along with local spirit seals and maps, handing them all to Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng received the maps and deeds, his expression calm. "Miss Luo, it seems you have been reinstated to your post."
Luo Lijun let out a long sigh. "Rank and office are of little consequence. The court is infested with a clique of petty scoundrels who constantly whisper slander, insisting on fighting the Outer States to the death. In the end, they merely sought to use this war to vie for fame and profit, giving no thought to the relative strength of the two sides, nor to the safety of our realm."
Li Banfeng listened from the side, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere.
Luo Lijun hurried to the main point: "The army's crushing defeat has temporarily quieted those scoundrels. I ask Young Master Li to mediate and persuade the Outer States to keep the broader picture in mind and bring this war to an end."
Li Banfeng gave a slight nod. "Very well."
Luo Lijun had also prepared a specific covenant deed. "Young Master Li once said that addressing matters purely on their merits is the clearest way. While in prison, I reflected on those words repeatedly and found great wisdom in them. Emulating your practice, I leave behind a deed so that we may deal strictly with the matter at hand and conclude this war."
The deed was handed to Li Banfeng, and Luo Lijun and Luo Yanjun took their leave one after the other.
Holding the deed, Li Banfeng walked out of the factory with a wooden expression.
At Feng Daiku's residence, she prepared a table of food and wine, and the three of them shared a few drinks.
Ma the Fifth chuckled. "No more fighting, and we even gained two tracts of territory. A happy ending for everyone!"
Feng Daiku offered congratulations to them both, but Li Banfeng remained expressionless.
"Old Seven, do you have something on your mind?" Ma the Fifth asked. "Back at the factory, you looked completely lost in thought."
Li Banfeng asked, "Why did Luo Yanjun suddenly turn into a human woman?"
Ma the Fifth explained, "I was fooling around with the sisters, and Luo Yanjun transformed into a pretty girl, claiming it was to please me. I know she cares for me genuinely, but after she changed, I truly didn't like it."
Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes, she's sincere toward you. I don't doubt that. But Luo Yanjun never speaks plainly. I think there was deeper meaning in her words."
"Deeper meaning..." Ma the Fifth pondered for a moment. "I really didn't like it, but as for how deep it goes, I couldn't say."
"She was able to turn into a human, and I couldn't spot a single flaw." Li Banfeng looked at Ma the Fifth with absolute gravity. This matter was critical to him, because he had just used his Piercing Sight on Luo Yanjun and still failed to detect any flaw.
"Purebred Inner States beings may not set foot in Puluo Province; that is the rule set down by the Peddler," Li Banfeng said, looking between Ma Junyang and Feng Daiku. "If Luo Yanjun entered Puluo Province looking like that, could we tell her apart?"
Ma the Fifth remained silent. He could tell, but his method was far too unique.
Feng Daiku shook her head slightly. "If I hadn't examined her hair closely, I wouldn't have spotted those two antennae either. Had Luo Yanjun changed her attire and brushed past me on the street, I might genuinely fail to recognize her as an Inner States being."
Among the purebred Inner States beings Li Banfeng had encountered, one took the shape of a clam, another the shape of a factory, and the sisters were river snails. In physical form, they were all easy to identify.
Now a river snail had transformed into a human, and Li Banfeng couldn't tell the difference.
This meant the Inner States could infiltrate Puluo Province. Nor was this Luo Yanjun's exclusive skill; she had stated quite clearly that her sister could do it as well.
Out of gratitude toward Li Qi and Ma the Fifth, Luo Yanjun had given them a hint: this was a capability the Inner States was currently mastering.
Li Banfeng pulled a document from his coat and handed it to Ma the Fifth.
After reading it, Ma the Fifth grew thrilled. "The Outer States waived all our freight fees! Our business is going to expand dramatically!"
Of the three conditions Li Banfeng had put forward, Du Wenming had ultimately agreed only to this one.
Regarding the Boundary, the Outer States would never budge.
Regarding the three-headed people, the Outer States had no intention of releasing them either.
"Sometimes the peacemakers are more terrifying than the warmongers," Li Banfeng murmured to himself.
Ma the Fifth asked, "Old Seven, what did you mean by that?"
Li Banfeng looked at Ma the Fifth. "Do you know what an arms race is?"
Ma the Fifth thought it over. "I feel like I've heard it somewhere. That's a term from the Outer States, right?"
Li Banfeng said, "The Outer States and the Inner States are engaged in an arms race. What is Puluo Province going to do?"
Ma the Fifth didn't grasp Li Banfeng's meaning. With a face full of sorrow, Li Banfeng said, "The Outer States and Inner States each have their own methods. What does Puluo Province have?"
***
"Everything that ought to be here is here. City Lord, take a look!" Gui Jianchou laid out the spoils one by one before Sun Tiecheng.
Sun Tiecheng grabbed a handful of silver dollars and said approvingly, "Good work. That usurious bastard hoarded such a massive fortune, and in the end, it was all saved for me."
Gui Jianchou quickly offered a reminder. "The other half was taken by Mu Yuejuan. I had Ah Xiong try to handle her, but Ah Xiong lacked the skill and couldn't take her down."
"No rush. Let her hold onto it for me a few days longer. There'll be plenty of time to deal with her later." Sun Tiecheng was in high spirits. "Ah Gui, I'm a man who keeps rewards and punishments clear. I won't let you work this job for nothing. Zhang Gunli's soul is yours."
Gui Jianchou said, "Thank you for the reward, City Lord. But his soul has numerous protections bound to it; I can't touch him for the moment."
Sun Tiecheng nodded. "Zhang Gunli left himself contingencies. As long as his soul remains, he definitely has ways to revive. I just don't know whether those methods are tied to the Inner States. No matter—I'll take care of it for you. From now on, he'll be your ghost servant. Name him Ah Gun. On top of this ghost servant, I have another reward!"
Gui Jianchou offered repeated thanks. Sun Tiecheng opened a drawer and pulled out the red lotus.
Brought near Zhang Gunli's corpse, the red lotus sensed it for a moment, then spread its petals and drew both flesh and bone inside.
Absorb them it did, but no halo appeared upon the petals.
Sun Tiecheng frowned, picking up the red lotus. "What's the matter? Why aren't you refining the pill?"
The red lotus waved its leaves and whispered a few words into Sun Tiecheng's ear.
Sun Tiecheng blinked. "This requires supplementary ingredients too? And they have to be golden thorny peaches? That's quite a rare thing to ask for. Those aren't easy to find... Ah Gui, as I recall, thorny peaches only grow on Sage Peak, don't they?
"Ah Gui, where are you going? Ah Gui! Freeze right there!"
Gui Jianchou had tried to slip away unnoticed, only to be caught by Sun Tiecheng.
"Ah Gui, what are you running for? The red lotus told me Zhang Gunli can yield three Profound Accumulation Pills! Those are priceless treasures! I was planning on giving you one! Don't you want it or what?"
Gui Jianchou shook his head repeatedly. "City Lord, I wouldn't dare accept such a precious pill, nor would I dare go anywhere near Sage Peak."
"What are you afraid of? Didn't you just go there a few days ago?"
Gui Jianchou waved his hands frantically. "The situation isn't the same anymore! Sage Peak has become the territory of daolao ghosts. Sending me there is asking for my life!"
Sun Tiecheng tucked his hands into his sleeves and squatted down. "Then what are we supposed to do? Such fine pills can't go unrefined, and such a fine place can't go unvisited!"
With a face full of misery, Gui Jianchou said, "Then please find someone else suitable to go."
Sun Tiecheng raised his egg-beater stick. "There isn't anyone more suitable."
Chapter 541